Hilary Duff’s – Hilary Duff, 38, says her strength training shifted how she moves, sleeps, and performs on stage—and she credits a structured daily plan on the Ladder app. Her current lower-body focus runs about four lifting days a week and centers on a specific 43-minute rou
Hilary Duff opens her app, presses play, and goes.
The “So Yesterday” singer. 38 and gearing up for an upcoming world tour. says she used to avoid the weight room—worried lifting would make her bulky or overly muscular. Like many women, she focused on cardio instead. Then the shift came, and she doesn’t describe it like a casual change. She calls it the point everything started working differently for her: how she feels. how she moves. how she sleeps. and how she performs.
“Years ago my training shifted more to strength training. and everything changed for me – how I feel. how I move. how I sleep. how I perform in every area of my life. ” Duff said. “Being able to carry my kids and give my best on stage. all while feeling confident in my body. is everything. Strength training gives me that.”.
Her plan now comes through the Ladder app. which delivers an expert-led daily workout designed to fit into a busy schedule. Duff says the reason she’s been able to stay consistent isn’t a burst of motivation—it’s having the right structure. “It’s not motivation that keeps you consistent and moving toward your goals. It’s having a plan. Ladder is that plan,” she said.
On Ladder, members join one of over 20 teams based on goals and training preferences. A coach guides them through progressive plans, with workouts typically lasting 30–60 minutes. Even with a strength-training focus, Duff’s sessions are built to mix in elements of Pilates, bodybuilding, and HIIT.
“What I love about Ladder is that it’s simple. It’s not a library of random workouts you have to sort through, but a real coach telling me exactly what to do each day,” Duff said. “I open the app, my workout is right there, I press play, and go.”
Duff doesn’t follow a single set schedule on the app. In general, though, she works out about four times a week. On off days. Ladder says she stays active with the routines that fit her life: taking care of her four children. hiking. swimming. or walking the dog—keeping the movement intentional rather than accidental.
When it comes to what she actually enjoys in the gym, her preferences are clear. Ladder says Duff prefers lower-body days. and she points to movements like the Bulgarian split squat as the fastest path to results and a way to feel strong. Upper-body work doesn’t land as well for her, with the exception of bent-over rows. Ladder adds that pull-ups and chin-ups are the harder part.
To show what her training can look like in practice, Ladder coach Kelly Matthews shared a 43-minute workout from her Limitless program that Hilary has completed—built around a 4-move lower-body sequence.
The warm-up takes 5 minutes and begins with mobility work focused on the hips: Posterior hip capsule stretch (left) for 45 seconds. then Pigeon pose (left) for 30 seconds. followed by Posterior hip capsule stretch (right) for 45 seconds and Pigeon pose (right) for 30 seconds. It continues with Adductor rock back (left) and Adductor rock back (right). 30 seconds each. then the “world’s greatest stretch” on both sides—30 seconds left and 30 seconds right—before finishing with an Air squat deep hold for 30 seconds.
Then the lifting starts.
1. Barbell Back Squat
The workout calls for setting a barbell on a squat rack so it sits just below her shoulders when she stands up straight. Duff steps under, holding the bar just outside her shoulders. Her feet are slightly wider than her hips with toes turned out a bit. and she lifts the bar off the rack onto her back. From there. she slowly squats down—pushing hips back and down as if sitting into a chair—without letting knees roll inward. chest up. and allowing the torso to lean forward as needed.
She lowers until her hips drop just below her knees. keeping knees in line with toes. then pushes through the floor to stand. The routine specifies resting 1 minute between sets. Sets and reps are listed as: 5 reps at 50% effort. 3 reps at 50% effort. 1 rep at 30% effort. then 8 reps at 70% effort. followed by another 8 reps at 70% effort.
2. Barbell Romanian Deadlift
The second move starts with a loaded barbell held close to the body. With shins practically touching the bar. feet hip-width apart. and the bar picked up. the instructions focus on form cues: squeeze shoulder blades together to keep her back straight. create a slight knee bend. and engage the core by sucking in the belly button into the spine.
From the starting position. she inhales and hinges at the hips by sending hips and butt back while keeping a neutral spine—no rounding. Bodyweight stays evenly distributed across feet. She lowers until she feels a solid stretch in the hamstrings. keeping the barbell close to her legs the entire time. Then she squeezes glutes to drive back to start, locking out hips without leaning back, and exhaling.
Sets and reps for the Romanian deadlift are: 5 reps at 50% effort, 8 reps at 60% effort, 8 reps at 70% effort, and another 8 reps at 70% effort.
3. Dumbbell Lateral Lunge
Next comes a side-to-side movement that’s executed one side at a time. With feet hip-width apart holding one or two dumbbells. Duff takes a big step to the side with her left leg. bends her left knee. pushes hips back. and lowers until her left knee is bent to 90º. She pushes back to start.
The instructions are straightforward: complete all reps on the left before moving to the right. Sets and reps: left side 3 x 10 reps at 70% effort, and right side 3 x 10 reps at 70% effort.
4. Bodyweight Sissy Squat
The last move is bodyweight and uses balance plus support. Duff stands with feet hip-width apart on her tip toes. weight on the balls of her feet. and places one or both hands on a rack for support. She bends her knees and leans backwards, creating a rigid straight line from knees to head. She then continues bending knees. keeping the backwards lean. and lowers her knees to the ground before standing back up forcefully.
Sets and reps: 3 x 10 reps at 70% effort.
After the four moves, the cooldown runs 2 minutes. It includes Downward dog walk for 30 seconds, Runner’s lunge stretch on the left for 30 seconds and on the right for 30 seconds, then 90/90 static stretch on the left for 35 seconds and on the right for 35 seconds.
For Duff. the pitch of a structured plan and a lower-body emphasis isn’t just about building muscle—it’s about keeping her life moving. She’s trying to stay confident in her body, carry her kids, and show up ready for the stage. On Ladder, she’s not hunting for a workout each day. She’s choosing the same approach: a clear set of steps. delivered daily. and done four times a week when the tour schedule and family life allow it.
Hilary Duff Ladder app strength training lower-body workout barbell back squat Romanian deadlift lateral lunge sissy squat world tour fitness Pilates HIIT